Temperature gauge

[Aussiebimmer]

Driving my new 550i yesterday - and went to look at temperature gauge - there wasn't one.

I suppose the computer will look after me but is there any way to see the temperature of the engine or know when it's warmed up or overheating?

[Me530]

Driving my new 550i yesterday - and went to look at temperature gauge - there wasn't one.

I suppose the computer will look after me but is there any way to see the temperature of the engine or know when it's warmed up or overheating?

You are correct, iDrive is the true temperature gauge, it will warn you when there is a problem.

To tell when your engine is warmed up, look at the red-line indicator on the tach. The white area will slowly shrink as the car warms up. Hope this helps! :)

[E60orBust]

To tell when your engine is warmed up, look at the red-line indicator on the tach. The white area will slowly shrink as the car warms up. Hope this helps! :)

The new 550 has the same tach temperature readout as the M3/5?

[Me530]

The new 550 has the same tach temperature readout as the M3/5?

My '06 530 has the tach temperature readout- and I have a relative with an '05 645 that *I believe* has it as well...I think its a valvetronic thing.

[chuck92103]

Not sure why they did that. My 6 has a temp gauge in lieu of the MPH gauge. :dunno:

The M5 has a temp gauge too?

[E60orBust]

My 545i (MY2005) that was built in 9/04 just has the Sped, Tach, Gas and MPG usage, no oil/engine temp.

The M5 has the same oil temp readout on the tach that the M3 has, i.e. lights up a redzone that you shouldn't rev past until the engine/oil has warmed up.

Man I miss my gauges...:bawling:

[TGray5]

water temp is not a great indicator of the engine being warm anyhow. Oil temps take a lot longer to reach operating temp. than does water. I wish I had guages for both, but frankly, BMW doesn't recommend babying the car when cold anyhow. In fact the steptronic transmission actually implements a sport mode if the engine temp is below 60F at startup, in order to provide higher rpm to warm up the engine and catalyst more quickly.

[E60orBust]

In fact the steptronic transmission actually implements a sport mode if the engine temp is below 60F at startup, in order to provide higher rpm to warm up the engine and catalyst more quickly.

Yes, I do remember reading something to that affect that our cars do not need a conventional 'warm-up' period, but old habits die hard. I've always gone by the vents. If the vents are still pushing cold air (when set to heat) then the engine is still cold.

[DD694]

water temp is not a great indicator of the engine being warm anyhow. Oil temps take a lot longer to reach operating temp. than does water. I wish I had guages for both, but frankly, BMW doesn't recommend babying the car when cold anyhow. In fact the steptronic transmission actually implements a sport mode if the engine temp is below 60F at startup, in order to provide higher rpm to warm up the engine and catalyst more quickly.
My former 2005 Porsche 997S had all manner of gauges. The oil temperature showed that it took abut twice as long for the 9 quarts of oil to heat up to normal temp as for the water to get to normal temp. Driving distance was about 3-5 miles for water and 8-10 miles for oil. I think the BMW 550i manual mentions that the maintenance schedule is altered downward depending upon the number of trips driven for less than 10 miles. This probably is a good indication of what BMW views as necessary travel time to get oil temp up to normal to minimize condensation in the oil.

In 1970 I owned a 1968 Jaguar XKE 2+2 4.2L. It held about 9 quarts of oil. The oil recommended by Jaguar was SAE 30 - no multi-weight oil was deemed acceptable. In winter temperatures in Pennsylvania, the engine would die as soon as you depressd the clutch until the oil was up to temperature. This was very hard on the clutch due to engaging the clucth at higher speeds when the oil was still cold to keep from having the enghine die.